1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio selective calling receiver which is also referred to as a pager, and in particular, to a radio selective calling receiver having a multilingual function. The present invention also relates to a message receiving method for a radio selective calling receiver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a radio calling system in which a radio selective calling receiver receives a self-addressed message transmitted from its local (or subscription) transmission station through a non-local (or non-subscription) transmission station and, for example, the local transmission station and the non-local transmission station are located in different countries and their service areas do not overlap, even when a user of a radio selective calling receiver who subscribes to the local transmission station travels a service area of the non-local transmission station, the receiver can receive the information message transmitted from the local transmission station through the non-local transmission station because system information such as area code, country code, and transmission station code is included in wireless calling information.
However, even when the radio selective calling receiver receives an information message such as weathercast information, traffic information, or sightseeing guide information from the non-local transmission station located in a different country, the user of the radio selective calling receiver cannot usually understand the information because the information is usually expressed in the language of the non-local transmission station (hereinafter referred to as non-native language) rather than the language of the local transmission station (hereinafter referred to as native language).
Thus, there is desired a radio selective calling receiver which enables a user to recognize in his/her native language an information message transmitted from the non-local transmission station in a different country or an area where he/she travels.
In order to satisfy such needs, a portable translating apparatus having an automatic language-selecting function is disclosed in JPA-5-35776 by Hirayama. In this prior art reference, when an information message in a non-native language is received from a transmission facility located in each area, the language in each area is identified corresponding to the information message. The language is selected from a plurality of languages stored in the unit. A prescribed language is translated into the selected language.
In the translating apparatus having an automatic language-selecting function, a frequency band of a stereo audio signal obtained by demodulating a received FM broadcast signal is scanned, whereby a data signal which represents a language and is multiplexed in a sub-carrier band in the stereo audio signal is extracted so as to identify the language. The relevant language is selected from a plurality of languages stored in a translated word data memory card. Thereafter, the user is prompted to speak his/her voice to be translated. His/her voice is collected by a microphone. The collected voice is subjected to voice-recognition to generate recognized data. Translated data signal corresponding to the recognized data is read from the translated word data memory card. The translated data is synthesized into a voice and the voice is output from a speaker. In addition, the translated data is output on a displaying portion.
The translating apparatus cannot translate a message in a non-native language into a user's desired native language.
Therefore, for example, a traveler who travels abroad cannot receive, in his/her native language, information transmitted in a non-native language from a non-local transmission station in the foreign country. The information includes weathercast information, traffic information, and sightseeing guide information as explained above.
In addition, although the data signal which represents a language and is multiplexed in a sub-carrier band of an audio stereo signal is extracted and the language is identified, once the translated word data memory card is switched to the language, all the received messages are automatically translated and a personal message transmitted from the local transmission station through the non-local transmission station in a different country is also translated into the language of the area of the country because the translating apparatus does not have an automatic determining function for determining whether or not to automatically translate a received message.